This is How a Heart Breaks
by jetsfanforlyfe
Summary: COMPLETE When a prank gone wrong lands Troy in the hospital, Chad has to struggle with his increasing feelings of guilt as his friend's condition slowly deteriorates, and Gabriella has to deal with the possibility of losing Troy. Troyella
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, please don't sue me.

A/N: I love High School Musical, I've watched it somewhere around five times now, and I listen to the soundtrack all the time. Anyway, this story involves a lot of pain for Troy, and a lot of mental anguish for Chad. It takes place at the end of the school year. Enjoy!

* * *

Troy Bolton walked down the hallway of East High, his arm casually draped across the shoulders of his girlfriend, Gabriella Montez. As they walked, several people called out to Troy, waving and saying hello. He waved back, smiling broadly as Gabriella beamed at him.

"You're so popular, Troy," she joked, laughing as he punched her in the shoulder.

"Invent any space shuttles lately?" Troy joked back, ducking as she swatted at his head. She darted toward him, but he easily sidestepped her, wrapping his arms around her and picking her up.

"Put me down!" Gabriella shrieked, kicking her feet as Troy spun her around.

"Say please," he teased, tickling her stomach.

"Please!" she cried, gasping for air as she tried to twist away.

"Okay, okay," Troy said, putting her back on her feet and kissing her.

"I love you," Gabriella whispered, looking into Troy's eyes.

"I love you, too," he replied, kissing her again.

They started to walk down the hall again, hands interlocked, smiling happily. Suddenly, Chad jumped out from behind a door, jumping on Troy's back.

Gabriella shrieked in surprise, breaking Troy's grip as she jumped back. Chad was laughing as Troy grunted with the added weight.

"Get off me, Chad," Troy said, laughing.

Chad laughed, jumping from Troy's back. "Can't take a joke?"

"It wasn't funny," Gabriella whined, punching Chad in the shoulder.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," Chad said, putting his hands up in mock fear.

Gabriella hit him again, before wrapping her arm back around Troy's shoulders.

* * *

Troy, Chad, Gabriella, and Taylor walked out of school later that day, blinking under the bright sun.

"So, what are we doing this weekend?" Chad asked, wrapping an arm around Taylor.

"We should go out tonight," Gabriella said, leaning into Troy's arm.

"You want to meet at the mall?"

"Seven?" Taylor asked, looking at Troy.

"Sure," he replied, shifting his backpack from one shoulder to the other.

They approached the stairs outside school, and started to walk down, talking and laughing. Suddenly, Troy's foot caught on a string tied across the stairs, and he tripped. Chad laughed, high-fiving the basketball players who jumped out from behind the stairs, roaring with laughter.

Troy, however, was not laughing. Gabriella screamed as Troy lost his balance, tumbling down the stairs. Chad stopped laughing, trying to grab Troy's flailing arm as he fell, but in vain. Troy rolled down the stairs, finally coming to a stop at the bottom, his head bouncing off the concrete with a sickening crack.

"Troy!" Gabriella cried, running down the stairs after him. Taylor and Chad followed her, along with several other people. Gabriella threw herself to her knees at Troy's head, her hands shaking as she put her hand under his head. She gasped, quickly drawing her hand out.

Tears springing into her eyes, she looked at the others, holding up her fingers. "He's bleeding."

* * *

Chad continued to pace the waiting room in the ER, while Taylor held Gabriella in her arms, comforting her.

"Chad, please sit down, you're not helping anybody," Taylor pleaded, handing Gabriella a tissue as she continued to sob.

"I can't," Chad said angrily, his fists clenching at his side. "I can't believe this happened, it was only supposed to be a prank. He was supposed to trip, not fall down the stairs."

"Accidents happen, Chad," Taylor whispered, following him with her eyes. "I'm sure Troy is going to be fine."

"Fine? He's unconscious, Taylor. He's bleeding, and he's unconscious. How is that fine?"

Taylor's reply was cut off when Troy's parents ran into the waiting room. Spotting Chad, Coach Bolton led his wife over.

"What happened? Where's Troy?"

Chad looked up at the coach, his hands shaking. "Coach, it was an accident. Me and the guys wanted to pull a prank on him, we never expected-"

"What happened?" Coach Bolton said loudly, his voice relaying anger.

"Troy fell. Down the stairs outside school. He hit his head on the concrete," Chad whispered, looking at the floor.

Mrs. Bolton gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. Coach Bolton ran a hand through his hair, turning away.

"Where is he?" he asked, turning back to Chad.

"They took him in, they haven't told us anything yet," Taylor said, gently rubbing Gabriella's shoulder.

Coach Bolton's reply was cut off when a doctor walked in.

"Bolton?"

Troy's parents turned, and the doctor walked over.

"Are you Troy's parents?"

They nodded, and the doctor motioned for them to sit.

"Are you three the ones who came with him?"

Chad and Taylor nodded, while Gabriella continued to sob.

"My name is Dr. Whitman, I treated Troy."

"How is he?" Mrs. Bolton whispered, gripping her husband's hand.

Dr. Whitman sighed. "Stable, for now. To start off, his left arm is fractured in three places and he suffered several broken or cracked ribs. He also suffered various cuts and bruises, nothing too serious."

Coach Bolton nodded, but swallowed hard. "What else?"

"Troy suffered a major head injury. We're not sure exactly how serious the injury is, but it is definitely bad. He's still unconscious"

"Is he going to be okay?" Chad asked, looking at the doctor.

Dr. Whitman sighed again. "It's too soon to tell. We're going to admit him to the ICU to keep him under observation."

"Can we see him?" Mrs. Bolton asked, her voice shaking.

Dr. Whitman nodded. "I'll take you to the Trauma Room before we take him upstairs. Once he's in the ICU, he can only have one visitor at a time."

They nodded, and stood, following the doctor out into the hallway.

"Before I take you in, there are a few things you need to know," Dr. Whitman said, stopping them just outside the door. "We put Troy on a ventilator to preserve his breathing, so there is a tube in his throat, which will be a little bit scary. Also, his left arm his immobilized in a cast, which runs from his fingertips up past his elbow. There is a bandage wrapped around his head, which looks intimidating. All of this is completely normal for someone in Troy's condition."

Troy's parents nodded, and Dr. Whitman opened the door, letting them in. Gabriella, Taylor, and Chad stood outside, watching as the door snapped shut behind the doctor.

* * *

Troy's parents walked out of the room, Mrs. Bolton sobbing into her husband's shoulder. Gabriella stood up, walking over to them.

"Can I see him?" she asked quietly, her voice shaking.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea," Coach Bolton said, looking sadly at her.

Chad and Taylor stood also, coming to stand behind Gabriella.

"Please, I need to see him," she whispered, her voice quiet.

"Okay," Coach Bolton relented. "But only Gabriella."

"But Coach-"

"Chad, go home."

"Coach-"

"Chad, go home. We'll call you if anything changes."

"Fine," Chad said angrily, taking Taylor's hand. They both hugged Gabriella, before walking away.

"Thank you," she whispered to the coach and his wife, hugging the other woman.

"We know how much you love Troy," Mrs. Bolton said, her voice breaking.

Gabriella nodded, then gently opened the door to the room, walking over to the bed. Everything the doctor had said was true. Troy lay on the bed, pale and unconscious, a white bandage wrapped around his head. His left arm lay across his stomach, the white plaster almost blending into the white hospital gown he wore. The tube in his throat was taped down at the sides of his mouth, leading to a machine that was forcing air into his lungs. Two IVs ran from his right hand, supplying Troy with fluids and medications.

"You can talk to him," Dr. Whitman told her, putting the chart into the holder on the wall. "He can hear you."

Gabriella nodded, taking Troy's hand in hers. "Hey, Troy," she whispered. "It's me, Gabriella. I just wanted to tell you that I love you." She broke off, her voice choked. "Get better, Troy," she whispered, stroking his hand with her thumb.

* * *

That was the first chapter. Reviews greatly apprecitated!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the Disney Channel.

A/N: Wow, I'm surprised so many people read this. I feel so loved! I'm not sure where I want to take this story yet (the million dollar question: Do I kill Troy or not?) so your reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you! Chad isn't in this chapter, it's mostly Troy's parents with some Gabriella. There will be lots more Chad in the next chapter.

Without further ado, chapter 2!

* * *

"It's time to take him upstairs," Dr. Whitman's voice broke into Gabriella's thoughts. Troy's hand was still clasped in hers, the pale fingers lifeless in her grip. She nodded, leaning forward to brush her lips over his forehead.

"I love you, Troy," she whispered, tenderly brushing her free hand through his hair. "Please don't leave me."

Gabriella straightened up, squeezing Troy's hand one last time before breaking the grip. The doctor smiled supportively at her, holding open the door for her as they walked out. Troy's parents were sitting in the chairs against the wall, both looking like they had seen better days.

"We're ready to take Troy up to the ICU," Dr. Whitman said, as Gabriella went to stand next to Mrs. Bolton. "I've arranged for Dr. Andrews, our head trauma specialist, to meet you there. She can answer any questions you have about Troy's condition."

Troy's parents nodded, and Coach Bolton reached out to shake the doctor's hand. "Thank you for taking care of our son," he said, wrapping his arm around his wife. Dr. Whitman nodded.

"You're welcome. You three can follow him up in the elevator, Dr. Andrews is going to want to speak with you as soon as Troy is settled in."

* * *

Gabriella stood outside Troy's ICU room, gazing sadly though the window. Troy's mother was sitting by the bed, grasping Troy's hand as she watched his face for any signs of life. Sighing, Gabriella turned away, coming face to face with Coach Bolton.

"Here," he told her, pushing a cup of coffee into her hand and smiling at her.

"Thank you," she whispered, gratefully sipping the coffee.

"Does your mother know where you are?"

Gabriella shook her head. "I have to call her, she's probably worried sick."

"There's a phone on the wall," he told her, pointing her in the right direction.

"Thanks, Coach Bolton," Gabriella replied, digging in her purse for change.

"Please, call me Jack," he told her, handing her the right amount of change.

"Thanks," Gabriella nodded, turning and walking slowly to the pay phone. Depositing the change in the slot, she picked up the receiver and dialed her home number. After two rings, her mother picked up.

"Gabriella? Is that you?"

"Hi, Mom," Gabriella said, her voice tired.

"Where are you, I've been so worried."

"Mom, I'm at the hospital. Troy-"

"The hospital? What's wrong? Are you okay? Are you-"

"It's Troy. He's hurt."

"Oh, Gabi, I'm so sorry," Ms. Montez breathed, sparking more tears from Gabriella. "Is he okay?"

"I don't know. He's in the ICU, but we're waiting for his doctor to tell us what's going on. I'm here with his parents."

"Do you want me to come over there? I can be there in ten minutes."

Gabriella turned, looking at Troy's father. He was sitting in a chair against the wall, his head in his hands as he tiredly rubbed his eyes. The tears welling in her eyes started to spill over, choking her voice as she replied. "Yes."

"I'm leaving right now, okay? I'll be right there, baby," Ms. Montez said, as Gabriella sobbed into the phone.

"Thanks, mom," Gabriella whispered, hanging the phone back on the hook. She walked back to the room, wiping her eyes as she went. Troy's father looked up at her.

"Did you get your mother?"

Gabriella nodded. "She's coming here in a little bit."

The coach nodded, but his reply was cut off when a young blonde woman walked up. She was dressed in black slacks and a light purple top, hidden beneath a white lab coat. The name tag on her pocket read Dr. Rachel Andrews.

"Are you Troy Bolton's father?" she asked, looking at the chart in her hands. He nodded, standing up.

"My wife's inside, and this is Troy's girlfriend, Gabriella," he offered, watching the doctor.

"My name is Dr. Andrews, I'm a neurologist, specializing in head trauma. I'm going to be treating Troy." Coach Bolton nodded, reaching out to shake the doctor's hand.

"Should I get my wife?" Dr. Andrews nodded. Jack knocked on the window to the room, catching his wife's attention. He motioned for her to come out. She nodded, then leaned forward, kissing Troy's forehead before standing up and walking out.

"This is Dr. Andrews, she's Troy's doctor," the coach said, introducing his wife to the doctor.

"Why don't we go to my office, and I'll discuss his treatment with you. You're free to come, Gabriella," Dr. Andrews said, addressing the teen. Gabriella shook her head.

"I want to stay here, my mom's coming." Dr. Andrews nodded.

"We won't be more than half an hour. You can sit with Troy if you like."

Gabriella nodded, shaking the doctor's hand before she walked in to the room, taking Mrs. Bolton's recently vacated seat and picking up Troy's hand.

* * *

Dr. Andrews led Troy's parents into her office, motioning for them to sit in front of her desk as she took the chair behind it. She opened Troy's chart and set it in front of her, flipping through the pages.

"What did the ER tell you about Troy's condition?" she began, looking up from her papers.

"They said that he had a severe head injury, and that he was still unconscious," Jack said, clearing his throat. Dr. Andrews closed her eyes for a moment, pressing her hands against them. Taking a deep breath, she looked up again.

"Troy has indeed sustained a severe injury. We had hoped that it was merely a concussion, but his CT scan showed something much more serious." Here she paused, pulling out the scan and putting it on the lightboard behind her desk, using her pen to point out the injury to Troy's parents. "This is what we call a hemorrhage," she said, pointing to a certain area on the scan. "What that means is that a blood vessel in Troy's brain has ruptured, and is bleeding into his skull, putting pressure on his brain. It is causing Troy to remain comatose."

Mrs. Bolton gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Her husband's fists were clenched as he struggled to keep control.

"But you can fix it, right?" he asked, his voice strained.

Dr. Andrews sighed. "Troy is going to require emergency surgery, during which we'll go in and use incisions to drain the blood, attempting to relieve the pressure. However, there are risks involved with the surgery, risks you need to know."

"What kind of risks?" Mrs. Bolton asked, her face pale.

"There is a 10 percent chance that the surgery won't work, and that the pressure on Troy's brain will continue to increase. Eventually this would compress the blood flow from his brain to the rest of his body, causing his organs to shut down slowly."

Mrs. Bolton's face had gotten even whiter, if that was possible. She gripped her husband's hand possessively, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"There is also the possibility that even if it works, Troy could remain comatose. He could also suffer memory loss, personality changes, or paralysis. Unfortunately, we don't have much of a choice. Without the surgery, Troy's condition will deteriorate rapidly, until his body starts to shut down."

Troy's parents looked shell-shocked, as Dr. Andrews flipped through her papers. Pulling one out, she pushed it across the desk.

"I know this is a lot of information for you to swallow right now, and I know that you are worried about Troy. But I need you to sign this consent form now so we can take him up to surgery," she stated, placing a pen on top of the paper.

Mrs. Bolton nodded, taking the pen without hesitation and scribbling her name on the line that Dr. Andrews pointed to. Her husband took the pen next, quickly scanning the form before signing it and pushing it back to Dr. Andrews.

"Great," she said, filing the form back in the chart. "The surgery should take about 2 hours, and then Troy will be moved back into the ICU. We'll know by tomorrow how effective the operation was."

* * *

A/N: Well, that was a lot of info. I'm not sure how much of it is medically accurate but that's not really important in the long run. Please review!

Coming in Chapter 3: Troy's surgery-does it work? Does he live? Why am I asking you this whenI already know?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. Thanks.

A/N: Wow, I never expected this story to be so well-liked. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed it, your reviews are so helpful! I just realized that Troy's dad has a name, but his mom doesn't. So now, her name is Kellie. The End.

There are way too many reviews to reply to each one individually, likeI normally would, so I am addressing everyone: I love you guys! I was having a horrible day yesterday, but reading you reviews cheered me up. I'm so glad that you guys love the story, and I promise that I'll try to make it as good as I can. As for Troy dying...well, I'm not answering that right now!

Here's chapter 3! Enjoy!

* * *

Gabriella wiped a stray tear from her eye as she gazed at Troy's pale face. Her fingers were intertwined with his, the pallor of his skin clashing with the warm tan of hers. Reaching forward, she brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead which had fallen into his eyes. Sighing, she extricated her fingers from Troy's and stood up, walking to the window.

Suddenly, she caught sight of her mother walking toward the room, her face creased with worry. Gabriella ran out of the room and threw herself into her mother's arms, crying into her shoulder. Ms. Montez rubbed her hand in circles on Gabriella's back, comforting her.

"Shhh, baby, it's going to be okay," she soothed, leading Gabriella to a chair and sitting down. "It's okay."

Gabriella sobbed. "What if he never wakes up?" she asked, her voice choked with tears.

Her mother shook her head. "Don't think like that, you need to stay positive. Troy is going to be fine."

"I want to, Mom, but it's just so hard," Gabriella whispered, more tears falling from her eyes. "He's just lying there, and I can't do anything about it. He-"

She was interrupted by Troy's parents, who had made their way back to the ICU, Dr. Andrews following close behind. The doctor nodded, before walking into Troy's room and preparing him to be moved.

"What's going on?" Gabriella asked, trying to dry her eyes as her mother greeted Mrs. Bolton. "What's wrong with Troy?"

Jack sighed. "He's bleeding into his brain, they're taking him to surgery."

Gabriella gasped, her hand shaking as she covered her mouth with it.

* * *

Chad walked into his house, slamming the door loudly behind him. The sound of running footsteps met him, as his mother rushed out from the kitchen.

"Chad! Where have you been, it's ten o'clock at night!" his mother exclaimed, watching worriedly as Chad set his bag on the floor and walked half-heartedly into the kitchen.

"Hospital," he grunted, pulling the refrigerator door open with more force than was necessary and pulling out a can of soda. "Troy got hurt."

"What? Is Troy okay? How are his parents?"

Chad shrugged. "He's unconscious, his dad kicked me out before they told me anything else."

"He kicked you out?"

Chad nodded. "It was kind of my fault," he half-whispered, taking a sip of his soda. "I set Troy up, it was my fault he fell. He hit his head on the concrete."

His mother gasped. "Chad-'

"I'm going to bed, mom," he interrupted, taking his soda with him and leaving his mother standing there, staring after him.

* * *

Gabriella sat with her head on her mother's shoulder, half-asleep in the hard plastic chair of the waiting room. Troy's parents sat next to them, holding each other as they tried to sleep. It was well into the third hour of Troy's surgery, and with each passing minute their worry increased.

"Why is it taking so long?" Kellie asked her husband, her voice quiet so as not to wake Gabriella. "Dr. Andrews said it would be two hours. It's been three."

Jack sighed. "I don't know," whispered back, gently brushing his wife's hair behind her ear. "I'm sure they'd tell us if something was wrong. He should be almost finished." As if on cue, Dr. Andrews walked into the waiting room, headed straight for their small group.

"How's Troy?" Kellie, asked, standing up to meet the doctor as Ms. Montez gently shook Gabriella awake.

Dr. Andrews sighed. "I have good news, and bad news."

"What's the good news?" Jack asked, searching the doctor's face for answers.

"He made it through the surgery, and we think we managed to control all of the bleeding." She paused before continuing. "However, his heart stopped three times during the operation. We managed to bring him back each time, and we kept him on the ventilator which meant that he wasn't deprived of oxygen. Unfortunately, this will most likely lengthen his recovery time, as his heart will not be able to take the extra strain that physical therapy will put on it."

Troy's parents looked as if she had slapped them, and Gabriella felt more tears filling her eyes. Jack swallowed hard, before speaking.

"Is he-is he going to be okay though?"

Dr. Andrews sighed again. "It's touch and go from here on out. If the surgery worked, he should be waking up within the week."

"If it didn't-?" Kellie asked, leaving the sentence hanging.

"We'll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, we have to focus on the positive, which is that Troy is alive, and that he has a very good chance of pulling through."

* * *

Chad lay on his bed wide awake, every light in his room turned off. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't have fallen asleep. The scene of Troy falling down the stairs, his head bouncing off the concrete, kept replaying in his mind, as if on a VCR with a broken stop button. Shaking his head, Chad rolled over onto his side, staring at the neon numbers of his alarm clock, which flashed 11:30.

Suddenly, his cell phone began ringing, lighting up on his nightstand. Bolting up, he snatched for the phone, seeing Taylor's number flashing across the screen. Flipping open the phone, he pressed the answer button.

"Hello?"

"Chad? Is that you?"

"Yeah, what's going on Taylor?"

He heard an audible sigh on the other end of the phone, before Taylor answered. "Gabriella just called me. Troy just got out of surgery. He was bleeding into his brain, they had to operate to fix it."

Chad cursed under his breath, the video in his mind freezing at the point where Troy's head connected with the concrete as he replied. "Is he-?"

"He's alive, but he's in a coma. They don't know how his brain was affected yet."

"I want to go over there."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, sweetie," Taylor said, her voice filled with compassion. "Gabriella said they told her to go home, that there was nothing she could do for him."

Chad sighed. "You're sure that-"

"Chad, we can go see him tomorrow, does that make you happy?"

"I guess. See you tomorrow."

"I love you," Taylor whispered.

"Love you, too" Chad replied, before hanging up his phone and flopping back onto his bed, the video restarting.

* * *

The next morning, Chad and Taylor walked into the hospital together, meeting Gabriella at the entrance before they headed up to the ICU. Taylor and Gabriella hugged, the former smiling comfortingly at her friend. Chad also hugged Gabriella, handing her the flowers he was holding.

"Those are for Troy," he said quietly, handing her the card to go with them. "Taylor picked them out."

Gabriella smiled. "Thanks," she whispered, placing the card into the flowers as they headed upstairs.

"Have you seen him?" Taylor asked, pushing the button for their floor once they entered the elevator.

"Not since before they took him to surgery. His mom spent the night with him, and his dad came back this morning."

Chad paled at the mention of Troy's father, but continued to stare straight ahead. They rode the rest of the way in silence, finally reaching the ICU and getting out of the elevator. Gabriella led the way to Troy's room, where his father was standing outside, his mother sitting with him.

"Hey, Coach," Chad whispered, looking at the floor.

"Chad," the coach acknowledged, nodding. "Taylor."

"How's Troy?" Gabriella asked.

The coach sighed. "Same as last night. I'll tell Kellie you want a minute with him." He stuck his head into the room, and a moment later Mrs. Bolton walked out, smiling at the three as Gabriella walked in and sat in the chair.

Chad and Taylor watched through the window, taken aback at Troy's appearance. His head was now tightly wrapped in white gauze, small spots of blood visible beneath the stark white bandages. Gabriella was quietly talking to him, stroking his hair as she whispered. Suddenly, the piercing sound of a shrill beep split the air, causing Gabriella to bolt up in surprise. A flurry of doctors and nurses rushed into the room, gently pushing her out as they started to look Troy over. The one thing that burned into Chad's vision was the thin, flat green line scrolling across the screen of the monitor.

* * *

A/N: Well, that was fun. Not. Please review!

Coming in Chapter 4: Troy's flat-lining! Chad is holding a razor…what does he do with it? Gabriella is about to have a nervous breakdown! Oh, the horror!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine, they belong to Disney.

A/N: I have to say, I'm glad you all love the story. Although, I'm not too keen on all the death threats… Well, this is chapter 4, and you shall find out Troy's fate…

I think this is my weakest chapter, but I really wanted to post it soon because I might not update for a few days. Oh yes, in this chapter I use the ever popular tool called...THE FLASHBACK! Yay!

To my reviewers: Thanks, you guys!**  
**Oh, and guys: please don't hunt me down and murder me! I value my life! LOL

* * *

Chad watched the flat line for a moment, before turning away and slamming his fist into the wall. The others continued to watch as the on-call resident examined Troy, checking his breathing and taking his pulse. A few minutes after he had walked in, he walked back out, leaving a nurse to take down Troy's vitals. 

"What's going on?" Kellie asked, her voice filled with worry.

"False alarm," the doctor told her, pausing outside the room. "One of the EKG leads failed, he's fine."

"He didn't go into cardiac arrest?" Kellie confirmed, her muscles relaxing as the tension left her.

The doctor nodded. "If you'll excuse me, I have other patients to look after." He nodded at the group and turned on his heel, headed into the room adjacent to Troy's. Everyone present let out a collective breath, relieved that Troy was okay. His parents went into the room to sit with Troy, leaving the three teens out in the hall.

Chad slid down the wall, putting his head in his hands as he breathed heavily. Taylor walked over to him, sitting next to him, as Gabriella sank into the chair opposite.

"He's okay," Taylor whispered, rubbing Chad's back gently. "Nothing's wrong, he's fine."

Chad looked up at his girlfriend, tears shining in his eyes. "I know, it's just-I saw the flat line and I just lost it. This is my fault, if Troy dies-" Gabriella made a small squeaking noise from her chair, fresh tears springing into her eyes. "I'm sorry," Chad whispered, leaning his head heavily against the wall.

"Troy's not going to die," Taylor said assertively, feeling like she was the only sane person in the group. "He's strong, and he's going to make it through this. We'll help him." She looked at Chad when she spoke, but the words were also directed at Gabriella, who had wrapped her arms around her knees and was struggling to fight back more tears.

"How can you say that?" Chad asked angrily, his voice growing louder. "You don't know if he's going to die, or if-" Again, Gabriella sobbed, burying her face in her hands. Chad cursed under his breath, standing up slowly and walking over to her, leaving Taylor to follow him. He sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her and letting her rest her head on his shoulder.

"I am so, so sorry, Gabi," he whispered, letting her cry onto his shirt. "I shouldn't be thinking like this, Troy will be fine." Taylor stood back slightly, watching her best friend and boyfriend comfort each other. "We have to be strong, for Troy."

Gabriella sobbed, her words distorted by her cries. "It's just so hard to see him like that," she cried, using her shirt sleeve to wipe her eyes as she broke the hug. "He looks so weak, so vulnerable. He doesn't even look like himself."

Chad sighed. "I know it's hard, Gabi, but we have to believe he's going to be okay. Taylor and me are here for you, and for him. Don't forget that."

* * *

Gabriella sat alone in the hospital cafeteria, absently stirring her hot chocolate with a straw, her mind still with Troy. His parents had suggested she get something to eat, but the mere thought of food made her want to throw up. Taylor and Chad had gone home an hour previous, promising Gabriella they'd return the following day. 

Now, however, she couldn't shake the pervading sense of loneliness that seemed to sit heavily in her stomach, choking her very soul. The thought of Troy lying helpless in the bed upstairs filled her mind, followed by images of Troy stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, Troy in coma for the rest of his life…Troy lying lifeless in a coffin. This final image brought new tears into her eyes, disproving her theory that she had cried all her tears before.

A salty drop splashed into the silky brown surface of the chocolate, barely disturbing the flat surface of the liquid. Gabriella groaned, pushing the drink away from her and swiping blindly at her eyes with a napkin.

"Get a hold of yourself," she whispered aloud, shaking her head. Standing quickly, she tossed her Styrofoam cup in the trash, hiding her tear-stained face behind a shirt sleeve as she walked briskly out of the cafeteria, attracting the stares of several people. She reached a women's restroom, where she slipped in and stood in front of a mirror.

Her appearance was disheveled, her hair tangled and messy, her eyes puffy and bloodshot. There were tracks of mascara running down her cheeks from all of the crying. Sighing, Gabriella grabbed several paper towels and turned the water in the sink on, washing her face. Looking up again, her eyes sought out the necklace around her neck, the necklace Troy had given her on their one-month anniversary.

FLASHBACK

"Come on, people, show time is in two weeks!" Darbus was shouting, watching exasperatedly as the cast of Twinkle Town bungled their way through a production number. "From the top!"

A collective groan went around the room, echoed by Troy and Gabriella. This was their most challenging number, and even though half of the cast had it down perfectly, the other half looked like they were lost in space. The music started, and Troy began to sing, leading off the song. Gabriella joined him, and the dancing started, the rest of the cast finally moving in perfect sync. The two leads stood in the middle of the stage, leading the routine with perfect accuracy.

The song ended, and Darbus began clapping. "Finally!" she shouted, smiling at the cast. "That's what I like to see. We're finished for today, be here at 3:30 sharp tomorrow, we'll work on the opening number." The cast cheered, jumping off the stage to grab their stuff as they left. Troy stopped Gabriella, grabbing her arm as she moved toward the exit.

"Do you know what today is?" he asked, his voice low and flirtatious.

Gabriella frowned, pretending to think. "I have no idea," she replied, wrapping her arms around Troy's shoulders as they stood in the now empty theater. "Why don't you tell me?" She pulled Troy into a kiss, breaking apart and smiling at him.

Troy frowned in mock disappointment. "I'm hurt," he said, putting a hand over his heart dramatically. "You can't even remember our anniversary?"

Gabriella smiled. "Of course I did," she said, kissing him again. "One month."

Troy beamed, bending down and rummaging in his backpack. "I got you something," he said, pulling out a small jewelry box. He opened it and took out a small silver heart dangling from a delicate chain. Gabriella gasped.

"Oh, Troy, it's beautiful," she whispered, taking the charm in her hand. Troy smiled.

"Turn around," he instructed, unhooking the clasp. Gabriella complied and he fastened the necklace around her neck. "Happy anniversary," he whispered, turning her around and kissing her again.

FLASHBACK

Gabriella let out a choked sob at the memory, sinking to the floor and burying her head in her hands as she cried.

* * *

Taylor sat in Chad's kitchen, inattentively flipping a quarter between her fingers. Chad had left the room ten minutes prior, and she was starting to worry that he was doing something dangerous. Sighing deeply, she stood up and walked down the hall. 

"Chad? Where are you sweetie?" she called, peeking her head into the rooms she passed. She reached his room and pushed on the slightly ajar door, seeing Chad sitting on the side of the bed, hunched over something. "Chad? Are you-"

He turned, startled, and Taylor caught a glimpse of silver in his hand. He stood quickly, hiding his hand behind his back.

"Chad?" Taylor asked apprehensively. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," he replied quickly, his hand clenched around the silver object.

"Chad, is that a razor?"

He shook his head, reaching to shove the thing under his pillow. Taylor moved quickly, grabbing his hand and prying apart the fingers. A small disposable razor blade fell out of Chad's hand. He looked away from Taylor, his eyes filled with shame.

Taylor picked up the blade, her hands shaking. "Chad, were you trying to kill yourself?" she asked, her voice trembling.

He looked back at her, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"Yes," he whispered, burying his head in Taylor's arms.

* * *

Troy's parents sat in his room, his mother gripping his hand and his father standing at the window. He was still showing no signs of improvement, but Dr. Andrews had said that he could be in a coma for awhile; they couldn't know how long. He could wake up tomorrow, or in a month, or even several months, she had said. 

The sun had just gone down outside, leaving the sky a dark blue. Troy had been in the hospital for over 24 hours, and neither his parents nor his girlfriend had slept a wink in those hours. Suddenly, Gabriella appeared at the door, her face free of any trace of tears, but her eyes betraying her deep sadness.

"How is he?" she whispered, looking up at the coach and his wife.

Jack shook his head. "Same."

"At least he's not getting worse," Kellie interjected, reaching forward to brush Troy's hair from his face.

Gabriella nodded. "I just wanted to tell him goodbye before my mom comes to pick me up."

Kellie nodded, kissing Troy's forehead as she stood. Gabriella slid into the chair, taking Troy's hand and kissing it.

"I love you, Troy," she whispered, aware that his parents were standing inside the door, watching. "Please come back to me soon, I miss you." Kissing his forehead, she stood up again, walking to the door. "I'll be back tomorrow," she told his parents. Kellie nodded, pulling Gabriella into a hug.

"We'll call you if anything changes," she said, as Jack smiled at Gabriella.

* * *

A/N: And you thought I'd kill him? Ha! But never fear, there's still a few tricks up my sleeve. :D 

Well, that was a little lamer than normal, but I wanted to get this one up ASAP. My school swim team has county championships tomorrow, so I probably won't post again until Monday, maybe Sunday.

Coming in Chapter 5: Is Chad really suicidal? Will Gabriella hold herself together? And finally, at the end of the chapter: A week later…the long awaited awakening of Troy! Maybe. If I don't get anymore death threats. Just kidding.

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

A/N: About Troy waking up in this chapter, I was just kidding. No, actually, I came up with another plot twist so Troy isn't waking up in this chapter. Maybe the next one. Or maybe never…tee hee

I don't like this chapter either. But I needed random crap to fill the gaps at the beginning before I got to the part about Troy.

The parts with Troy and Chad in this chapter are simultaneous.

Anyways, here's chapter 5!

* * *

Taylor sat on Chad's bed with him for a half hour, holding him in her arms as he cried onto her shoulder. His sobs eventually died down, his breathing evening out as he fell asleep, his head in her lap. Taylor gently moved his head onto his pillow, brushing aside his hair as she kissed his forehead. Sighing, she took the razor and slipped it into her pocket, looking around for anything else dangerous.

After pocketing the pair of scissors sitting on the desk, she slipped out of the room, walking slowly toward the kitchen. She found his mom by the stove, stirring something in a pot.

"Taylor? Where's Chad?"

"Mrs. Danforth, there's something I need to tell you."

* * *

Gabriella sat on her bed, looking through a box of photos. There were dozens of pictures of her and Troy, all taken in the last 6 months. She smiled as she flipped through the snapshots, remembering the good times she had had with Troy.

She reached into one of the packs and pulled out a random picture. It had been taken a month before, at a concert the four of them had gone to. Gabriella was standing on her seat, her arms wrapped around Troy, who was standing on the floor. They were both smiling happily, Chad and Taylor right next to them. Gabriella smiled, standing up and pinning the picture on her bulleting board, right next to the one from the after party of the championship game.

She spent the next few hours looking through pictures, hanging them on her bulletin board. Soon it was covered with pictures of her and Troy, pictures of them kissing, holding hands, eating lunch together, walking on the beach. There was even a shot of them in the play, during "Breaking Free."

At eleven o'clock, Gabriella finally fell onto her bed, exhausted, gazing at her newly made collage. She had no clue why she had done it, but she knew that she wasn't going to let Troy slip away from her.

* * *

Chad walked into his kitchen the next morning, only to find his mother sitting across from Taylor at the table, both with steaming cups of coffee in their hands. Tear tracks ran down both their faces, and neither was looking him in the eye.

"What's going on?" he asked, pulling open the refrigerator and taking out the milk.

"Chad, I'm taking you to see a psychiatrist," his mother said quietly, gazing intently into her mug.

The milk jug fell from Chad's hand, landing on the floor. Milk splashed onto the tile, but he didn't move to clean it up.

"What?"

"Chad, you need help," Taylor told him, grabbing a dish towel and wiping up the milk, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm not crazy," he said, his anger growing as he looked at his mom, who had yet to lift her eyes.

"I know, Chad, but-"

"Mom, I'm not crazy! You're not taking me to a shrink, there's no way!"

"Chad, calm down!" Taylor pleaded, placing a hand to his arm.

"Shut up!" he shouted, violently whipping his arm from her grasp. Taylor shrank back, clearly scared.

"Chad!" his mother cried, jumping up and going to her son.

"Oh, God," he whispered, looking at Taylor. "Tay, I'm so sorry." He put his hands over his face, his shoulders shaking. "I'm sorry."

* * *

Gabriella walked to Troy's ICU room, where she was met by his parents.

"What's going on?" she asked, noticing the worried looks on their faces.

"Dr. Andrews is examining Troy. She thinks that there's something wrong, because he hasn't gotten better yet," Jack said, turning to look into the room.

"But it's only been three days," Gabriella said, her voice wavering. "She said-"

"She says Troy hasn't shown any signs of improvement, and that he should at least be breathing on his own by now."

Gabriella closed her eyes, her heart sinking. "This can't be happening," she whispered. Suddenly, the door to the room opened, revealing Dr. Andrews, a solemn expression on her face.

"How is he?" Kellie asked, her voice strained. Dr. Andrews shook her head.

"He's not triggering the vent, which means that he has yet to take a breath on his own. His brain function, according to the EEG, is limited, and he's not responding to any stimuli. We've tried voice commands, pain, everything. He's too deep in the coma to respond to anything."

Kellie and Gabriella gasped simultaneously, and Jack turned away.

"Is there anything you can do?" Kellie asked, her voice choked.

"I'm afraid not. We can wait it out a little bit longer, but it doesn't look hopeful. We need to seriously consider the options here."

"What options?" Jack asked, anger coloring his voice.

"We can wait it out, but the longer Troy remains comatose the less of a chance he has of regaining consciousness. If he goes downhill, or if his heart stops, we can try to resuscitate him, but chances are that, if that happens, he'll never recover. The best thing to do is consider signing a DNR or taking him off life support."

"What the hell does that mean?" Jack half-shouted, as Gabriella and Kellie began to cry.

"Do Not Resuscitate. It means that if anything happens to Troy, if his heart stops or if he stops breathing, we won't do anything to try to resuscitate him. No heroic measures. We'd take him off the ventilator and let nature run its course. He may begin to breathe on his own, but he may also go the other way."

"You mean just let him die?" Gabriella gasped, a shaking hand over her mouth.

Dr. Andrews sighed. "It may be his time. We can't stop nature from taking its course, even if that means letting Troy go."

* * *

Chad sat in the psychiatrist's office, staring at the ceiling as the doctor tried to get him to talk.

"Chad, can you tell me why you wanted to hurt yourself?"

Chad remained silent, his eyes fixed intently on the tiles of the ceiling.

"What made you feel that you needed to hurt yourself?"

Still nothing.

"Chad, you need to open up to me. I want to help you."

Chad sighed loudly, folding his arms behind his head and leaning back in the chair, stretching his legs in front of him.

* * *

"I'm not signing it," Jack said loudly, glaring at his wife, who was holding the DNR papers in her hand.

"Jack, please, what if it's really time to let him go?"

"Let him go? God, Kellie, he isn't even seventeen yet! He has his entire life ahead of him!"

"Jack-"

"You can't seriously tell me that you want to watch him die?"

Kellie sighed, her face betraying her deep sadness. "No, I don't. But, Jack, what if he's like this forever? What if he never wakes up?"

"And what if he does?"

"We don't know that he will."

"And we'll never know if we just let him die!"

"What if he does wake up, Jack, and he doesn't remember anything? Or he can't walk? Or he can't feed himself, or take care of himself? Do you want that to happen?"

"What if he wakes up and he's perfectly fine?"

"Jack, do you really want to take that chance? Sit here for who knows how long to wait for him to wake up?"

"Kellie, he's our son! We have to do something! I'm not just going to let him die!"

She sighed, folding the papers in half and shoving them in her pocket. "2 more days. That's all I'll wait, then I'm signing the papers."

* * *

Chad walked out of the psychiatrist's office, silently storming past his mother and Taylor, who looked to the doctor.

"We'll try again next week," he said, smiling encouragingly at them. The two women sighed, shaking hands with the doctor and walking out after Chad, who was standing by the car.

"How'd it go?" Taylor asked, climbing into the backseat next to Chad. He simply stared out the window, ignoring her.

"Chad-"

"Leave me alone."

* * *

Gabriella sat by Troy's bed again, her mind running over what the doctor had said. Troy's parents were in an empty room, discussing what to do. She was gently stoking Troy's hair, whispering in his ear.

"You have to come back to us, Troy. They're going to take you off life support soon, so you better hurry." She broke off, looking out the window. Ironically, the day was bright and sunny, the polar opposite of the atmosphere inside the room. "I miss you, Troy. We all do. You have to come back."

She sighed, laying her head on Troy's chest. Suddenly, the door opened, and his parents walked in, clearly angry with each other.

"What did you decide?" she asked, sitting up.

"We're going to wait two more days, then we'll decide," Kellie said, looking at her husband, who was scowling.

Gabriella nodded. "I better get back home," she said, kissing Troy on the forehead. She couldn't help but feel intrusive as she watched his parents fume at each other. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She smiled at them, squeezing Troy's hand one last time before leaving the room. Moments after she left, an alarm by the bed went off, the shrill beep cutting through the silence. A nurse appeared at the door, checking the monitor.

"What's going on?" Kellie asked, her voice alarmed.

* * *

A/N: Well, that was fun. Is he dying? We may never know! Silly Troy's mommy, wanting to kill him off. Why would she do that? Anyways, please review!

Coming in Chapter 6: Chad finally opens up! Troy finally wakes up (for real this time!)! Everything is fine and dandy and the story ends! Not really…that would be way too easy!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

A/N: Sorry this chapter took longer, swimming is killing me right now. Getting up at 5 every morning starts to wear on you. Anyway, yes Troy is waking up in this chapter. Yay! But don't get too excited, because as you will soon find out, Troy is far from okay.

Oh, and Sharpay makes an appearance here!

Warning: This story is taking a minor turn into the realm of cliché, but it is a necessary turn for the benefit of the story. If you just stick with it, I promise that it will turn out okay in the end.

* * *

"What's going on?" Kellie asked, her voice wavering.

The nurse smiled warmly, turning the volume on the monitor down. "It's good. He's triggered the vent."

"He-what?" Jack and Kellie asked, almost simultaneously.

"Triggered the vent. It means he took a breath on his own."

"So that's good?" Kellie asked tentatively, gripping Jack's hand tightly.

The nurse nodded. "I just have to page Dr. Andrews, she'll be here in a minute to tell you more."

"Oh, thank you God," Kellie breathed, turning to her husband and burying her face against his neck. Jack hugged her tightly, placing a hand on the back of her head as they stood there. The nurse smiled again, walking to the phone on the wall and quickly punching in Dr. Andrews' number.

Minutes later, the said doctor appeared at the door, her hair messy from the jog she had taken to get there. "What's going on?" she asked, slightly out of breath.

"He triggered the vent," the nurse said, rechecking Troy's vitals.

"Really?" The doctor walked over to the bed, checking Troy's breathing. "His breath sounds are good," she observed, nodding. "He's breathing almost completely on his own."

"Does this mean he's waking up?" Kellie asked, looking to the doctor.

Dr. Andrews sighed. "Not necessarily. But it's definitely a step in the right direction."

* * *

Chad sat in his living room, staring absently at the television, which was tuned to the news, which his mom was watching. Ever since they had gotten back from the psychiatrist's and dropped Taylor off at home, he had remained stone still, not replying to anything his mother said.

He sighed loudly, shifting his position slightly. His mom looked over at him, her heart breaking.

"Chad, sweetie, please-"

"Mom, I don't want to talk."

"But-"

"Mom, there's nothing to talk about."

"Why didn't you talk to the doctor, he's only trying to help."

Chad groaned, pulling his legs up onto the couch and hugging his knees to his chest. "Don't want to talk about it."

* * *

Kellie sat at Troy's bedside, gripping his hand and talking to him quietly. Jack had run to the cafeteria to get some coffee, and she was left alone with her son. They had called Gabriella to tell her the news, and she was on her way over at that very moment.

As Kellie sat lost in her thoughts, she felt a slight pressure on her hand. Troy's fingers had curled slightly around her hand.

"Troy?" Kellie asked, looking at her son's face. "Troy, it's mom. Open your eyes if you can hear me." She stood up leaning over Troy, watching his face.

"Mrs. Bolton?" Gabriella's voice came from the doorway. She was standing behind Troy's father, both wearing similar confused looks. "What-?"

"I think he's waking up!"

"I'm going to get the nurse," Jack said, as Gabriella walked over to the bed, taking Troy's other hand.

"Troy, baby, wake up," she said, placing her hand along his cheek.

Troy's eyelids fluttered, his facial muscles twitching.

"Troy, come on sweetie," Kellie coaxed, tightening her grip on his hand.

His eyelids fluttered once more, before slipping open to reveal Troy's cloudy brown eyes. Gabriella shrieked with happiness, as Kellie started crying happily.

"Oh, Troy," she whispered, kissing her son's forehead. Troy's eyes were darting around the room as he tried to gather his surroundings, unable to talk because of the breathing tube.

* * *

The phone in Chad's kitchen rang, giving him an excuse to bolt up and answer it.

"Hello?'

"Chad?" a timid voice asked.

"Shar-Sharpay?"

"Yeah, um, I was wondering how Troy was doing. I'm sorry for calling you like this, and all, but I just wanted to know if he was okay. I saw the ambulances and everything and-"

"Sharpay," Chad interrupted, smiling at her excitement. "He's in the hospital. Coma."

"Oh." Her voice sounded like someone had deflated it like a balloon. "Is he-is he okay?"

Chad sighed. "Don't know. His parents and Gabriella are with him."

"Oh, well, Ryan and I just wanted to tell him to get well, could you do that for us?"

"Sure," Chad sighed.

"Ok, bye."

"Bye." Chad hung up the phone, walking back to his mom. Suddenly, he felt tears spring into his eyes.

"Mom, I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

She had tears of her own running down her face as she pulled her son into a hug and let him cry on her shoulder. "It's okay, baby, it's okay," she whispered, rubbing his back.

"I just-I-I can't see him like that, it's just so hard," Chad whispered, burying his face in his mom's shirt.

"I know it's hard, baby, but you can't blame yourself. It was an accident."

"I didn't mean for it to go so far. I didn't want him to get hurt. I-" Chad was interrupted by the phone ringing a second time.

Mrs. Danforth stood up, answering it. "Hello? What-he's awake?"

Chad looked up, his face hopeful.

"Oh, thank heavens," his mother said into the phone, breathing a sigh of relief. "Yes, I'll tell him. Tell Troy we said hi."

"What-" Chad asked, looking at his mom.

"Troy's awake."

* * *

"Troy, I need you to focus on me, okay?" Dr. Andrews called, snapping her fingers over Troy's head. "Focus."

His eyes shifted towards her, confusion evident.

"Good, that's good. My name is Dr. Andrews," she began, speaking slowly and clearly. "You're in the hospital. There is a tube in your throat to help you breathe, but we're going to take that out right now, okay? Blink once if you understand."

Troy complied, blinking his eyes once.

"Okay, I'm going to grab the tube. I need you to take a deep breath on the count of three, and then blow out as hard as you can. Okay?" Troy blinked again.

"Alright. One…two…three!" She quickly pulled the tube out, leaving Troy coughing violently on the bed. "Slow, deep breaths," she told him, fastening an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth and pulling the top half of his bed upright so that Troy was sitting up.

Troy nodded, leaning his head heavily against the pillow. He reached up to pull the mask off and ask a question, but Dr. Andrews stopped him.

"Not yet. Wait a few more minutes before trying to speak, your voice isn't strong enough. While you wait, I'm going to tell you about your condition." Troy nodded again. Kellie and Gabriella were standing against the wall, letting Dr. Andrews sit by the bed.

"You hit your head pretty hard when you fell. The short story is that we had to perform surgery to fix the problem, and you've been unconscious for about three or four days. Also, your left arm is broken a few places and you fractured a few ribs. That would account for the pain in your chest."

Troy's face clouded over, as he was clearly overwhelmed. He gestured to the mask, asking without words if he could speak. Dr. Andrews nodded, and Troy removed the mask, opening his mouth to speak.

"Mom?" he asked quietly, his voice rough. She stepped forward, reaching for his hand.

'I'm right here, sweetie," she said, smiling at him. Jack reappeared at the door, and Dr. Andrews stood up.

"I'll leave your four to catch up. I'll be back in about a half-hour to check on you again," she said, smiling at them as she walked out the door.

Gabriella stepped up closer to the bed, gripping one of the handrails as she smiled at Troy.

"You scared me so much, baby," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

Troy looked up at her, confused. He looked to his mom, then back at Gabriella, taking the mask away from his mouth.

"I-I'm s-sorry. Wh-who are you?"

* * *

A/N: Tee hee. That was fun. Well, there you go. Troy's awake. Reviews greatly appreciated!

Coming in Chapter 7: What exactly DOES Troy remember? Will Chad talk to his psychiatrist? Is there anything else wrong with Troy? How does Gabriella take it?


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

A/N: Well, that last chapter was fun. Not. lol Anyway, we had a major blizzard here today, and I just spent half the day shoveling the driveway. Woohoo! Just kidding. So yeah, there's no school tomorrow because of the snow, so I should be able to get another chapter up tomorrow. Maybe. No promises.

So, this chapter deals with everyone's reactions to Troy's amnesia, and also with Troy's numerous other medical problems as a result of the coma.

Enjoy!

* * *

"I-I'm s-sorry. Wh-who are you?"

Gabriella's face fell. "Troy?"

His face was completely blank as he looked at Gabriella, then at his mother, than back to Gabriella. "M-mom?"

Kellie stepped up, gently pushing Gabriella to the side. "Troy, sweetie, this is Gabriella. Don't you remember-?'

He shook his head, causing tears to spill over Gabriella's cheeks.

"I'm getting Dr. Andrews," Jack said, his voice strained with his obvious fear.

"I-I'm s-s-orry," Troy whispered, his eyes still blank as he watched Gabriella run from the room.

She reached the hall, holding her hand over her mouth as she cried. A pair of hurried footsteps coming toward her forced her to look up. Dr. Andrews was striding quickly into Troy's room, forcing Jack to take longer strides to keep up with her. Gabriella stood slowly, walking to the doorway.

Dr. Andrews was shining a pen light into Troy's eyes, watching for his reaction. She clicked the light off, putting it back into her pocket. "What is today's date?" she asked Troy, motioning for his parents to step away from the bed.

Troy bit his lip, clearly thinking. "I-I d-don't k-know," he whispered.

Dr. Andrews paused, clearly worried. "Do you know your name?"

"T-troy B-bolt-ton," he replied. For the first time, Gabriella noticed that he was stuttering every time he spoke, clearly struggling with the words. Dr. Andrews also seemed to notice.

"Troy, are you having trouble speaking?" He nodded, his cheeks reddening. He was clearly embarrassed.

Dr. Andrews sighed audibly, putting her head into her hands. "Do you remember what happened to you? You can nod or shake your head."

He shook his head, looking down the soft blanket of the bed.

"Do you know how old you are?"

"14."

Gabriella let out a choked sob, unable to control herself. Jack paled visibly and Kellie began to shake.

"W-what-"

"You're sixteen, Troy. Almost seventeen."

* * *

"I want to go see him," Chad said, looking at his mother, who was stirring a pot on the stove.

"Chad-"

"Mom, I have to make sure he's okay. Then you can call Dr. Whitman."

"Let me call his mother first, then we'll see."

Chad nodded, and his mother put down the spoon, reaching for the phone. Dialing Mrs. Bolton's cell, she waited for her friend to pick up.

"Kellie? How is he?" There was a long pause, during which Mrs. Danforth's smile turned into a frown. "Do they know how much he's forgotten? What about the speech problems?" Another pause. "Take care of yourself, Kellie. I'll tell Chad the news."

She hung up the phone slowly, turning to Chad.

"Mom-"

"Chad, Troy's suffered some complications from the coma."

"Complications? What do you mean complications?"

"Chad, Troy lost part of his memory."

"He-what?"

"He thinks he's fourteen."

Chad cursed quietly, putting his face into his hands.

"He's also having trouble speaking."

Chad remained still, his mind racing.

"Chad-"

"Mom, I want you to call Dr. Whitman."

* * *

Gabriella sat in the hallway outside Troy's ICU room, her head in her hands. Troy's parents and Dr. Andrews were in with him, trying to see how much he did remember. Gabriella was still shaken from the revelation of Troy's amnesia, to the point that she wanted to slide onto the floor and cry herself to sleep.

If Troy thought he was fourteen, that meant that he didn't remember anything from the last year. He didn't remember New Year's Eve at the ski lodge, winning the championship, the musical. He didn't remember her.

A sob found its way out of her throat, choking her. It seemed so unrealistic that Troy could forget her. She held her necklace in her hand, fingering the small charm absently. She kept trying to assure herself that it was a fluke, that Troy would be okay. The analytical side of her brain kept overpowering her thoughts, telling her that it just wasn't true.

* * *

Dr. Andrews was holding her finger in front of Troy's face, commanding him to follow it as she moved it around. Troy's parents were holding each other, standing by the window. She nodded, scribbling a note in Troy's chart.

"Your reflexes are good," she said aloud, taking out a small pointed instrument. She flipped the blanket off of Troy's legs, gently pricking his left leg. "Can you feel this?"

Troy nodded, and Dr. Andrews moved to the other leg. "This?' Another nod. Dr. Andrews flipped the blanket back over his legs, scribbling in the chart again. "Motor sensation is intact."

She placed her pen back in her breast pocket, coming to stand on the side of Troy's bed. "Alright, the last thing I need you to do is stand up for me." Troy nodded, and Dr. Andrews helped him out of bed, careful not to jar his broken arm. "Take it easy," she advised, stopping Troy as he came to sit at the edge of the bed. "I want you to stand up very slowly. I'm going to take the IV pole and come around behind you. Do not move after you stand up, do you understand?"

Troy nodded, and Dr. Andrews gently lifted him to his feet, taking the IV pole and standing behind him, ready to offer her support.

"Alright, I want you to take a few steps toward the door, but slowly. If you feel like you can't handle it, just tell me and we can finish this later." Troy nodded again.

"Go ahead." Troy lifted his right foot from the floor placing it uncertainly in front of him. Next followed his left. As he shifted his weight onto his left foot, he lurched to slightly to the side, much to the surprise of everyone present in the room. Troy, however, didn't seem to notice, and he continued walking. When he put his left foot forward again, the same thing happened.

"That's good enough," Dr. Andrews, said, keeping her voice even. She helped Troy back into bed, adjusting his IV and throwing the blankets back over the bottom half of his body. "Get some rest, Troy. I'll be back in about half an hour." She motioned to Troy's parents. "I'd like to speak to you outside."

They nodded, and followed the doctor into the hall, Kellie pausing to kiss Troy on the forehead. Gabriella was sitting against the wall, and Dr. Andrews motioned for her to stand and join them.

"Apparently, Troy has suffered some post-coma complications which we hadn't really counted on. Obviously, there's the amnesia. He appears to have lost at least 2 years, but we can't be sure yet. Now, the memory loss could be permanent, but it could also be temporary. It's too soon to tell."

"What else?" Jack asked, wrapping his arm around his wife.

"He appears to have suffered some problems with his speech. The stutter is the same as the amnesia. It could remain for the rest of his life, or it could disappear with time. Then there's the problem with his walk."

"What problem?" Gabriella asked, her voice frightened.

"Troy appears to be walking with a limp. This means that several parts of his brain were affected. We'll only know how badly with time. He's going to require intensive speech and physical therapy in the future. In the meantime, however, we're going to move him to a private room tomorrow."

"Will he ever remember?" Kellie asked, holding on to her husband.

Dr. Andrews sighed. "We can't know. What you can do is talk with him, tell him stories from the last few years. In time he may begin to remember. It's our best hope."

* * *

Chad sat in Dr. Whitman's office, watching the doctor across from him.

"Your mother said that you were ready to talk," the doctor began, his pen poised over his notepad.

Chad nodded. "My-um-my best friend, Troy, he was in a coma. It was my fault."

"How was it your fault?" Dr. Whitman asked, peering into Chad's face as the teen began to open up to him.

"I set him up to fall. On the stairs outside of school. I never expected him to get hurt. When he started to fall, I tried to help him. My fingers brushed his, but I couldn't save him." Tears glistened in Chad's eyes, but they didn't fall. "I failed him. All I keep seeing is his head bouncing off the concrete, then the blood on my fingers, then seeing him in the hospital."

"Is that why you tried to kill yourself?"

Chad felt the tears spill over. "I didn't think he'd ever wake up. I didn't think I could deal with the guilt."

"But he did wake up, didn't he?"

Chad laughed bitterly. "Yeah, and he doesn't remember anything from the last two years. And it's all my fault."

"You can't blame yourself, Chad. Yes, you had a part in this, but it's unhealthy to blame yourself. Troy wouldn't want it."

Chad sighed. "It's still my fault."

Dr. Whitman put down his notebook. "What you need to help get over this is closure. I want you to go and visit Troy tomorrow, to see for yourself that he doesn't blame you."

Chad nodded slowly.

* * *

Troy lay asleep in the bed, his mother clutching his hand. Jack was standing behind her, his hand resting on her shoulder. Gabriella had gone home, but had promised to return first thing in the morning.

"He looks so peaceful," she whispered to her husband, gently stroking Troy's hair. "It's so hard to believe that he's not okay."

"He will be, though," Jack replied, his eyes betraying his true feelings. "He has to be."

* * *

A/N: I added that last scene because I didn't like the way the Chad/psychiatrist scene ended. It was really kind of pointless, but whatever. Anyway, reviews greatly appreciated!

Coming in Chapter 8: Chad visits Troy! Troy begins his recovery! Gabriella tries to help Troy remember!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

A/N: So, the snow outside is officially melting. Yay! I hate snow. Anyway, focusing on the story now. And for everyone who wants Troy to remember, maybe he will, maybe he won't. Right now I'm leaning toward won't. But we'll see…

This chapter is a lot more fluff-type stuff than the other chapters. And it's broken up less. It's only three parts.

Anyway, here is chapter 8!

* * *

Gabriella walked up to Troy's ICU room, meeting his parents at the door. After greeting them, she stuck her head in to see Troy. He was sound asleep in the bed, his head resting lightly on the pillow.

"How is he?" she asked, turning back to his parents.

Kellie sighed. "No better. He still doesn't remember. They're moving him out of the ICU today, though."

Gabriella looked startled. "Are they?"

Jack nodded. "To a private room, on the fourth floor."

"Does that mean he's going to be released soon?"

Kellie shrugged. "They want him to start physical therapy before they release him."

"Oh," Gabriella replied, looking at her shoes. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a soft call from inside.

"M-mom?"

Kellie turned quickly, striding into Troy's room, followed closely by Jack and Gabriella.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, tenderly brushing back Troy's hair. "How are you feeling?"

"H-hurts," Troy whispered, blinking as his father drew back the curtain, allowing light to stream in through the window.

"I know sweetie, but the doctor already has you on a bunch of medicines and painkillers." Troy closed his eyes, sighing lightly. Gabriella found herself taken aback at the manner in which Kellie was talking to her son. They were treating him as if he were a mere child.

Suddenly, Troy opened his eyes, looking at Gabriella.

"Y-you w-w-were here l-last n-night," he said, searching her face for an answer.

She nodded, surprised that he had remembered. "I'm Gabriella," she said, stepping up closer to the bed.  
Kellie and Jack looked at each other, conveying a message with their eyes.

"We're going to leave you two for a little bit," Kellie said, kissing Troy on the forehead. Jack clapped his son on the shoulder.

"Love you," he said, walking out the door. Kellie paused, pulling Gabriella aside.

"Take it slowly with him," she whispered. "Just tell him a little bit about yourself, see if you can get him to remember anything."

Gabriella nodded, and Kellie kissed Troy one last time before walking outside. Gabriella sat in the seat next to the bed, uncomfortably aware that Troy was watching her.

"D-did we kn-know e-each o-other?" he asked timidly, clearly afraid of upsetting her again.

She nodded. "We were dating for a few months."

Troy frowned. "I-I d-d-don't remem-mber."

Gabriella shook her head. "It's alright, Troy, it's not your fault."

Troy looked into her eyes, searching for anything that looked familiar. "W-were we c-close?"

Gabriella nodded again. She reached into her shirt and pulled out her necklace. "You gave this to me after we had been dating for a month." She held it out to Troy, letting him hold the charm, the light from the sun playing off the silver. She looked hopefully at him, hoping for a spark of recognition.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I j-just d-d-don't rememb-ber."

Gabriella felt tears sliding down her cheeks, and she turned from Troy.

"I'm r-really s-sorry," he whispered, his voice betraying his sadness.

"No, Troy, it's okay," Gabriella said, turning back around as she wiped her face.

"C-could y-you tell me ab-bout w-what w-we d-did togeth-ther?"

Gabriella nodded, smiling.

"We met on winter vacation. We sang together." She paused, smiling at the memory. "I transferred to East High, and we started hanging out. We auditioned for the winter musical together. I-"

"P-please st-stop," Troy said, putting his good hand to his head.

"Are you okay?" Gabriella asked, looking at him concerned.

Troy nodded slightly. "Its j-just t-too much inform-mation."

Gabriella nodded. "I'm sorry, Troy," she said.

"It-it's ok-kay," Troy said, tentatively holding out his hand to touch Gabriella's. She looked surprised at the contact, and started to draw back her hand. Instead, she returned the grip, their fingers interlocking.

* * *

Chad stood outside the hospital, looking up at the countless rows of windows. His mom was standing next to him, her arm wrapped around his shoulders for support.

"Are you ready?" she asked, looking at Chad.

He nodded. "Let's go."

They walked into the hospital, walking toward the elevators. Stepping in, Mrs. Danforth pressed the button for floor 4. Chad watched the indicator flash as the elevator passed each floor, slowly creeping up to the fourth floor.

When the doors slid open, Chad and his mother walked out. Spotting the nurses' desk, they walked over.

"Excuse me," Chad's mom said, catching the attention of the head nurse. "Could you tell us where Troy Bolton is?"

She nodded, turning to a paper behind her. "Room 427," she said, turning back. "It's the third door on the right." She pointed down the hallway, indicating the direction they should go in.

"Thanks," Mrs. Danforth said, turning in that direction.

The nurse nodded, already immersed in patient charts again.

Chad and his mom walked down the hall, finally reaching Troy's room. Chad's mother turned to him, placing both hands on his shoulders.

"I'll wait out here. You'll be okay, Chad," she said, kissing his forehead. Chad nodded, before walking to the door and knocking softly before walking in.

Troy was sitting up in the bed, Gabriella and his mother at his side, Mr. Bolton by the window.

"Chad," Kellie said in greeting, standing up to hug him. Chad hugged her back uncomfortably, looking over her shoulder at Gabriella and Troy.

"Hey, Mrs. Bolton," he said as she stepped back.

Jack nodded in greeting, and Chad went over to stand next to Chad. "Hey man," he said, reaching out to shake Troy's hand.

Troy smiled. "H-hey Ch-chad."

"How's it going?"

Troy shrugged slightly.

"We'll leave you two to talk," Kellie said for the second time that day. She wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulders as they followed Gabriella out of the room.

Chad stood uncomfortably at Troy's side, studying his shoes.

"My-my mom t-told m-me ab-bout what h-happened," Troy said, causing Chad to look up.

"Look, Troy, man, I'm really sorry. I never-"

"Chad, it-it's ok-kay. N-not y-your f-fault."

Chad looked at Troy. "Troy, it's my fault you fell. All of this, it's my fault."

Troy shook his head. "D-don't b-blame yours-self. I d-don't."

* * *

Troy sat in a wheelchair by his bed the next day, his arm held close to his body in a sling. He had just returned from his first physical therapy session, and was utterly exhausted. Gabriella had decided to return to school that day, as had Chad.

Troy groaned when Dr. Andrews appeared at the door.

"How'd it go?" she asked, walking over to Troy.

He sighed.

"It'll get easier. Where're your parents?"

"W-went h-home to g-get cl-clothes."

Dr. Andrews nodded. "How about we get you back into bed?"

Troy groaned again. Dr. Andrews smiled, walking behind Troy's wheelchair and helping him stand slowly. She helped him to the bed, allowing him to sit. She pulled her stethoscope from her neck, listening to Troy's breathing, then motioning for him to lie back.

"Well, the good news is you can probably go home tomorrow. Everything looks good so far, all things considered. How is your arm?"

"H-hurts."

"Well, I can't give you any narcotics, but I'll see if I can scrounge up a few aspirin."

Troy nodded, letting his head rest against his pillow.

"You're doing good, Troy. Just stay positive. You have a whole network of people that want to help you. Your parents, Gabriella, Chad, Taylor. Just have faith. It will all come back to you in time."

* * *

A/N: That's the end of chapter 8. Woohoo! Lol Reviews greatly appreciated.

Coming in Chapter 9: Troy is released from the hospital! Sharpay, Kelsi, Ryan, Zeke, and Jason all make appearances! Yay!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

A/N: I feel so loved that you all love my story! Well, that chapter was fun here's chapter nine! Yes, Sharpay, Ryan, Zeke, Jason and Kelsi are in this chapter. So are Taylor and Chad. And obviously Troy and Gabriella. There are only two more chapters after this!

Anyway, here's chapter nine!

Enjoy!

* * *

Troy sat on the edge of his hospital bed, dressed in sweats. His parents were in the hallway talking to Dr. Andrews. Troy was waiting impatiently for the doctor to finish his discharge papers so he could finally go home. 

Sighing, Troy adjusted his broken arm, trying to make the sling more comfortable. He let his feet dangle over the edge of the bed, his untied shoelaces scraping the floor.

Suddenly, the door opened, interrupting his thoughts.

"Ready to go home?" Dr. Andrews asked, leading his parents into the room.

Troy nodded, and Dr. Andrews smiled, pulling her stethoscope from her neck as she walked over to the bed. She placed it against Troy's chest underneath his tee-shirt.

"Deep breath," she instructed, listening intently. The action was repeated twice more, before Dr. Andrews put the stethoscope back on her neck, nodding with satisfaction.

"Everything looks good," she told him, looking at Troy's chart. "I'm going to take your IV out now." She opened a drawer behind her, rummaging in it and pulling out a small band-aid. She pulled up the tape holding the needle down.

"This is probably going to hurt," she warned, gently pulling the needle from Troy's skin. A small trickle of blood began to run down his arm, but Dr. Andrews quickly stopped it by placing the band-aid over the puncture.

"C-can I g-g-o h-home n-now?"

Dr. Andrews nodded, smiling. "I'll just have a nurse bring in a wheelchair, and we're just about set." She walked out of the room, leaving Troy alone with his parents for a moment. Kellie walked over to Troy, brushing his hair back and kissing his forehead.

Dr. Andrews came back, followed by a petite blonde nurse pushing a wheelchair. The doctor held a small packet of papers in her hand, which she gave to Troy's father.

"Discharge papers. All of his after care instructions are there, along with a prescription for Vicodin, a painkiller. Now, I have to warn you that Vicodin is a powerful drug, and can become highly addictive, which is why you should only take it if the pain is excruciating. Tylenol or Advil will work fine for the rest of the time."

She looked at Troy as she said this, clearly trying to get her message across to him. "Now, you'll have to attend physical therapy sessions three times a week to work on regaining strength in your leg. You'll have to come in to my office for weekly appointments, during which we'll work on the amnesia and the stutter. The cast on your arm comes off in eight weeks, but we can discuss that later on. Do you need me to repeat anything?"

Troy shook his head, as did his parents.

"Great! Let's get you home." Dr. Andrews and the nurse helped Troy into the wheelchair, his mother resting her hand on his shoulder. "I'll see you to the parking lot."

The group left the room, Jack and Kellie walking slightly behind the nurse, who was pushing Troy in the wheelchair. Several minutes later, they reached the parking lot. Dr. Andrews turned to Troy.

"Take care of yourself, okay? I'll see you next week."

"T-thank-k y-you," Troy told her, shaking her hand.

"You're welcome," Dr. Andrews replied, smiling broadly at Troy.

"Thank you so much for everything," Jack said, gripping the doctor's hand in his.

"No problem. Just doing my job," Dr. Andrews said, also shaking Mrs. Bolton's hand.

"B-bye," Troy said, waving at the doctor as they walked to his parents' car.

"Bye." Dr. Andrews waved back, before turning on her heel and walking back into the hospital.

* * *

They pulled up in front of the Bolton's house, and Troy's father put the car in park, opening his door and running around the car to help Troy out. His mother did the same, and they walked to the house together. 

They reached the door, which was pulled open before any of them got close to the handle.

"Welcome home!"

A crowd of people stood in the entrance hall of the Bolton's home, holding banners and balloons.

"W-what?" Troy looked around at his friends, confused. Sharpay and Zeke were standing with their arms around each other, as were Kelsi and Jason. Gabriella noticed Troy's confusion, and walked over to him.

"Come into the living room, and we'll fill you in," she told him, taking his hand and leading him to the couch. Troy's parents followed, then went into the kitchen, leaving Troy to talk to his friends.

""W-what's g-going on?" Troy asked apprehensively, looking around at his friends. "W-why is Sh-sharpay in my h-house?"

She laughed lightly, wrapping her arm tighter around Zeke's shoulders. "We're dating," she said, as Zeke nodded.

"Wh-what?"

"When you and Gabriella were in the musical, we became friends," she told him, looking at her twin, who was sitting opposite. Ryan nodded.

"I asked Kelsi out," Jason added, looking at the composer.

"And now we all hang out," Ryan finished, and they all looked at Troy, who was staring with his mouth open.

"Here, I baked you a get-well cake," Zeke said, handing it to Troy. The words "Get Well Soon, Troy" were written in red icing on top of the vanilla cake.

"Th-thanks. W-wait you b-bake?" Troy said, looking at the cake. A laugh went around the room.

"Long story," Chad said, laughing at Troy's expression.

"We're so glad you're alright," Sharpay said, hugging him quickly. Troy looked horrified, but tentatively hugged her back.

"We just wanted to tell you that we're all going to help you," Ryan said, handing Troy a book.

"It's a scrapbook," Kelsi said. Troy looked at the cover, which had a picture of the basketball team, the decathlon team, and the musical cast standing together in front of the school.

"We put it together for you," Taylor added, reaching over to open it for Troy.

"It's pictures of the last few years," Jason said, as Troy slowly flipped the pages.

"We hope it helps you remember," Gabriella said, watching Troy's face. His eyes filled up with tears, and he smiled.

"Th-thanks, g-guys," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

* * *

Troy sat on his bed, flipping through the scrapbook. A soft knock at his door interrupted his thoughts, and he shut the book. 

"C-come in."

His mom stuck her head in.

"We're about to have dinner. Are you hungry?"

Troy shook his head. "N-not r-really."

"Are you okay sweetie?" Kellie walked over to the bed, sitting next to Troy and brushing his hair from his forehead in a motherly gesture.

"M-mom th-there's s-so much I d-don't r-remember. Wh-what if I n-never rememb-ber?"

"Oh, sweetie, you just have to believe in yourself. I know you can do it."

Tears started to slide down Troy's face, and he buried his face in his mom's shirt.

"I-I f-feel s-so st-stupid," he sobbed, wrapping his arms around her in hug.

"Baby, you're not stupid," Kellie said, her heart breaking for her son. "You're not stupid at all."

* * *

"So, is Troy coming back to school?" Chad asked Gabriella the next day at lunch. 

She shrugged. "I doubt it. He's so far behind."

"It just feels so weird without him," Taylor said, opening a bag of potato chips.

"I know," Gabriella sighed, resting her head on her hand.

"If Troy's not coming back, why is he standing at the door?"

The group turned almost simultaneously. Troy was standing at the door to the cafeteria, looking lost.

"Troy!" Gabriella called, catching his attention. She waved him over. He limped over.

"H-hey g-guys."

"What are you doing here?" Chad asked, moving his chair over to let Troy sit.

"My d-dad w-wanted me t-to empt-ty m-my lock-ker."

"You're not coming back to school?"

Troy shook his head.

"Do you want me to help you?" Gabriella asked, standing up.

Troy nodded.

"We'll see you guys later," she said, leading Troy into the hall.

"I-I d-don't kn-know where I'm g-going," he confessed, turning to her.

"It's fine, I know you combination."

They walked in silence to Troy's locker, and Gabriella quickly spun the numbers, opening the door.

"So, how are you going to catch up in school?" Gabriella asked, watching as Troy began to empty his books into a bag.

He shrugged. "T-tutor, I g-guess."

"Oh. I could help you," she said, reaching in to help him.

"Th-thanks."

"Listen, Troy, I know you don't remember me. But I was wondering, could you come over later today? There's something I want to show you."

* * *

A/N: Yay, chapter nine! I hope you all liked it! Reviews greatly appreciated! 

Coming in chapter 10: What does Gabi want to show him? Will Troy remember anything? More of the rest of the gang!

Only two more chapters to go!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue!

A/N: I'm glad you guys liked that chapter. This is chapter 10. There's only one more chapter after this! That's so sad…

This chapter has more of Sharpay and Ryan and the rest of the gang.

Enjoy!

* * *

"Listen, Troy, I know you don't remember me. But I was wondering, could you come over later today? There's something I want to show you." 

Troy looked up from his bag, slightly surprised.

"O-okay."

"Thanks," Gabriella said, clearly relieved. "We can go right after school. Your dad can drop you off."

"S-sure. Th-thanks for h-helping m-me."

Gabriella smiled. "I really don't mind, Troy, it's only my lunch period."

"N-no. I mean th-thanks f-for h-helping me get b-better."

Gabriella paused, looking at Troy.

"Your welcome," she said quietly, pulling him into a hug.

* * *

"Th-thanks, D-dad," Troy told his father, getting slowly out of the car. 

"Are you sure you don't need me to come in? I could come with you."

"D-dad, it's f-fine. D-don't w-worry."

Jack relented, rolling down the window as his son limped up the Montez's driveway.

"I'll be back in an hour!" he called, pulling away slowly, clearly reluctant to let Troy out of his sight.

Troy waved at his dad, then limped slowly up the driveway. Reaching the door, he rang the bell. Barely a minute later, Gabriella opened it.

"H-hey," Troy said, stepping into the entrance hall.

"Hey. Let's go up to my room. I have to show you something."

Troy nodded, and followed her up the stairs into her room. Gabriella opened the door, letting Troy precede her into the room. She shut the door behind them, then walked over to Troy.

His eyes were glued to the collage on her wall, looking slowly from one picture to the next.

"This is what I wanted to show you," she told him, coming to stand next to it. "I don't know why I made it. Something just told me to, and now I think I know why. I think it's supposed to help you remember."

Speechless, Troy stepped closer to the wall, tentatively running his fingers over the pictures. He turned to Gabriella.

"W-we were ha-happy to-together, w-weren't we?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at a picture of them after opening night of the musical.

Gabriella nodded, tears slowly trailing down her cheeks.

"I guess it didn't work," she said, almost to herself.

"I-I'm s-sorry," Troy whispered, reaching a tentative hand out to brush the tears from her cheek.

"It's not your fault, Troy. God, none of this is your fault."

He looked away, back at the pictures.

"I w-want to re-remember. B-but I j-just c-can't."

"You will," Gabriella said, trying to sound convincing. "I'll help you." They moved to her bed, sitting down.

"We can get through this together. Step by step. Like-"

"K-kindergarten" Troy interrupted, finishing her thought.

Gabriella gasped.

"You remember?"

He shook his head slowly, tuning away. "N-no. It j-just s-sounded right."

Gabriella sighed, but took Troy's hands in hers. "It's a start," she told him, looking intently into his eyes. "It's a start."

* * *

Gabriella walked to her locker the next day, spinning the lock without really seeing the numbers. As she struggled with her combination, Taylor and Chad came up behind her, startling her. 

"What did Troy want?" Chad asked, leaning against the neighboring locker.

Gabriella shrugged. "His dad wanted him to empty his locker, so I helped him."

"What about last night?" Taylor asked, raising her eyebrows to hint at possible occurrences.

"Nothing like that," Gabriella practically shrieked, smacking Taylor over the head as she finally pulled open the locker door.

"It was a joke," Taylor said, raising her arm to protect her face in mock fear. "Seriously, what happened?"

"I took him to my room and showed him the collage I made. I thought it would help him to remember."

"And-" Chad prompted, standing up straighter to show his interest.

Gabriella shook her head. "Nothing. He did finish one of my thoughts, though. But he didn't know why he said it, he said it just felt right." She sighed heavily, and went about pulling her books from the locker, closing it quickly and turning to face them.

"But that's got to be good," Chad said, looking at her for an answer.

Gabriella shrugged. "He said he'd ask Dr. Andrews. I hope it means something, because it's starting to wear me down."

Taylor quickly hugged her friend supportively. "I have an idea. Let's go talk to Coach Bolton now, and see what he thinks."

* * *

Gabriella stood on Troy's doorstep, wringing her hands nervously. Seconds after she rang the bell, Mrs. Bolton opened the door, beckoning her into the entrance way with a smile. 

"Jack called and told me what you were doing," she said, leading Gabriella into the living room, where Troy was sitting on the couch, absently flipping channels on the TV. "I think it's a wonderful idea."

Gabriella smiled in appreciation. "Thanks, Mrs. Bolton. I really hope that it will help him."

Troy looked up, aware that they were talking about him.

"H-help m-me?"

Gabriella nodded. "Come with me to school, there's something we have to show you," she said, walking over and taking his hand, pulling him gently to his feet.

"W-we?"

"You'll see when we get there," she told him, still gripping his hand.

"Are you ready to go?" Mrs. Bolton asked, holding up her car keys. Gabriella nodded. They walked out to the car and within minutes were well on their way to East High.

"W-where are we g-going?" Troy asked, looking out the window for a clue.

"School. We had an idea to help you."

A short while later they pulled up in front of the school, and Mrs. Bolton let Troy and Gabriella out. The latter led Troy into the school headed for the music room.

Opening the door, Gabriella led Troy in. Kelsi was sitting at the piano, Ryan and Sharpay standing next to her. Chad, Taylor, Zeke, and Jason were sitting by the window, watching Troy and Gabriella enter.

"W-what-"

Gabriella put a finger to her lips, silencing him. She led him to the piano, and took a seat next to Kelsi, leaving Troy to stand next to Ryan and Sharpay.

"We want to see if this helps at all," she told him, nodding to Kelsi. The pianist began to play, and the soft opening notes of "Breaking Free" filled the room. Gabriella and Sharpay began to sing in perfect unison.

_"We're soarin', flyin', there's not a star in heaven that we can't reach."_

Ryan joined in.

_"If we're trying, so we're breaking free. _

_You know the world can see us in a way that's different than who we are."_

Troy had closed his eyes, clearly trying to grasp something with his mind.

_"Creating space between us, till' we're separate hearts." _

All eyes in the room were on Troy as he opened his eyes, tentatively beginning to sing the next line, alone, his stutter barely noticeable as he sang.

_"But your faith it gives me strength-"_

Gabriella joined him.

_"Strength to believe, we're breaking free!"_

Kelsi stopped playing, as Gabriella hugged Troy happily, tears streaming down her face.

"You remember," she said, pulling away and looking into his eyes, acutely aware that every eye in the room was glued to them.

"I-I remember the w-words, a-and your v-voice s-sounds s-so fa-familiar. I d-don't know w-why, b-but I c-can s-see a m-moon, and a s-stage, and you're th-there. But it d-doesn't make s-sense."

Gabriella was smiling through her tears. "Troy, you're almost there. I know it. It wll make sense in time. You may not remember the details yet, but you're getting closer."

Sharpay came over and hugged him. "I knew you could do it," she said, clearly happy for him.

The rest of Troy's friends began to cheer for him, starting a group hug.

"Who wants pizza?" Chad's voice rose above the rest, and was met with an affirmative answer. The group all walked out together, heading for the pizza parlor to celebrate.

* * *

A/N: That was fun. Yay Troy! But wait…his memory isn't back yet. Almost. Maybe. We'll see. Only one more chapter to go! Reviews greatly appreciated. 

Coming in Chapter 11: Three months later…what does Troy remember? How is his stutter? What about everyone else?

Also coming in chapter 11: A preview of my next HSM story, "Only Hope," which I've summarized here for your viewing pleasure. Yes, it is named after the Mandy Moore song of the same name (from A Walk to Remember-the best movie besides HSM EVER!)

Title: Only Hope  
Genre: Angst/Romance/Drama  
Rating: T  
Main Pairings: Troyella, Chaylor  
Warnings: Deals with depression, suicidal thoughts, severe illness, and other various issues  
Tentative Summary: It's the summer before senior year, and the East High seniors are planning for their future. But something comes between Troy and his dreams, and threatens his very existence.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

A/N: OMG, this is so sad! It's the last chapter! I'm practically crying over here. LOL I'm also happy, though, because this is the first multi-chapter story I've finished. It's a miracle! LOL

This chapter takes place approximately three months after the last one. Troy's been in therapy and is getting better. It's also a little shorter than my other chapters, because it's just a sort of wrapping-up chapter. It ties up Troy and Gabriella and the whole amnesia thing.

Enjoy!

* * *

Troy fell heavily onto his bed, sighing loudly. He had just gotten back from physical therapy and was exhausted. He adjusted the sling on his arm, sitting up and leaning against his pillow.

"Troy! Dinner!" His mom's voice floated into his room through the open door, calling him back downstairs.

"Coming," he called back, groaning as he stood up slowly. He started toward the door, his right foot dragging slightly. The physical therapy had helped greatly, and his limp was almost unnoticeable, as was the stutter. As he left his room, his eyes alit on a recent picture of him and Gabriella, which had been taken just two weeks previous. They were sitting together at a concert, Chad and Taylor behind them.

Troy smiled to himself, continuing to walk out to the hall.

"Troy!" his mom called again, her voice agitated.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Troy called back, taking the rest of the stairs two at a time and practically skidding to the dinner table.

"Slow down," Jack warned, putting a hand out to keep his son from sliding headlong into the table. "You're going to hurt your arm."

"My arm's fine, Dad," Troy replied, taking his seat in between his parents.

Kellie brought a large bowl of spaghetti to the table, setting it in the middle, next to a basket of sliced bread.

"Looks good, mom," Troy said, leaning in to take a few pieces of bread.

"Take it easy," Jack joked, putting spaghetti into bowls.

"Hungry," Troy grunted, his mouth full of bread.

"We can see that," Kellie laughed, taking her own piece of bread and buttering it.

"Sorry," Troy muttered, reaching for spaghetti and twirling it onto his fork.

"How was therapy?" Jack asked, eating his own pasta slowly.

Troy shrugged. "Same."'

"What did Dr. Andrews say?"

Another shrug. Jack looked at Kellie.

"His limp is almost gone, and so is the stutter. But she's a little worried that he doesn't remember anything apart from the flashes he keeps getting."

"Is something wrong?"

Troy kept eating, watching his parents' conversation as if it were a tennis match.

"No, she just thinks it's taking a little too long."

"Oh."

Suddenly Troy put his fork down, letting it clink loudly against his bowl.

"I'm right here, you know," he said, looking first at his mother, than his father.

"Troy, I'm sorry," his mother apologized.

"It's okay, I just don't like how you guys always talk about me like I'm about to break."

"Troy, honey, we're just worried."

"I'm fine, mom. Dr. Andrews said I'm getting better, you heard her."

"I know, sweetie, but we just-"

"I'm fine."

The phone rang, interrupting the conversation. Troy jumped up, grateful for the diversion.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Troy, it's Gabi."

"Hey."

"How was your session today?"

"Okay. Nothing new."

"Do you remember-"

Troy sighed. "No. Not yet."

"Oh." Gabriella's voice sounded quiet and far away.

"I'm sorry."

"No, Troy, it's okay."

There was a pause, during which Troy began to twist the phone cord in his hands.

"I love you," Gabriella whispered, hoping for a response.

Troy sighed again, closing her eyes. This had become their daily ritual. Each day Gabriella would call and tell him she loved him, hoping for a response in kind. Each day Troy would reply with a sigh, unable to profess his love without knowing for sure if it was true.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, knowing he was breaking her heart.

"Okay. Talk to you tomorrow," Gabriella whispered back, hanging up the phone sadly.

Troy did the same, walking back to the table. As he sat, his eyes sought the picture from the musical attached by magnet to the fridge.

* * *

Gabriella sat at her desk in her room, writing in her journal. She had started to keep one soon after Troy had woken up. The rain outside pounded furiously on her windows, creating an almost soothing rhythm that matched her despair. She finished the entry for the day, then closed the book, standing up and stretching. She reached to shut off her desk lamp when she heard a noise outside.

Curious, she walked to the glass door to the balcony, looking out. Troy was standing below the balcony, his hair and clothes completely drenched.

"Open the door, Gabriella!" he called, wrapping his good arm around his shivering torso to keep warm.

Gabriella threw open the door, running outside, barely aware of the rain.

"Troy! What are you doing?" she cried. "Are you crazy?"

Troy shook his head, calling up to her. "Gabriella, I don't remember our time together before the accident, and I may never. But it doesn't matter, because-" he paused, looking up into her eyes. "Because I love you!"

"What?"

"I love you, Gabriella, I know it. I feel it."

"I love you, too, Troy! Now get your crazy butt up on this balcony!" she cried, feeling tears of joy mixing with the rain that slid down her cheeks. She helped him pull himself up, pulling him into her room. She wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, brushing a soaked lock of hair from his eyes.

"You're shivering," she observed needlessly, placing her hands along his cheeks, looking into his face as she cried happily.

Troy smiled, his teeth chattering. "I love you."

"That was a stupid thing to do," Gabriella chastised, wrapping him in her arms.

Troy's only reply was "I love you."

"You're going to catch cold, your arm's-"

Troy cut her off, gently kissing her.

"I love you."

Gabriella pulled away, surprised. Then she smiled.

"I love you, too," she whispered, pulling him into another kiss, the water dripping from their clothes falling onto the floor.

* * *

A/N: The END! That was one of my favorite scenes in any story I've ever written, because it's just so darn cute :D

Well guys, it's been fun. I'm really proud of this story, which is rare because I usually am overly critical of my writing. But I feel like this was one of my best pieces, and I liked the way it turned out. I'm also glad that it was so well received. I'm gonna miss you all!

P.S.-Look for my next story, "Only Hope," this weekend. Probably Sunday, but maybe Saturday.

For your reading pleasure I've included a sort of trailer-type-thing for "Only Hope" under Chapter 12. Please read it and tell me what you guys think.


	12. Only Hope Trailer

A/N: This is a trailer for my next story, Only Hope. Like, we're in the movies or something. LOL

* * *

**"Only Hope"**

(Mandy Moore's "Only Hope" plays in the background.)

**Voice Over (that crazy guy with the deep voice who's always the same in every trailer-you know who I'm talking about): **Senior year was supposed to be perfect.

Shot of Troy and Gabriella walking down the hallway arm in arm.

Shot of the whole group sitting together in a restaurant, talking and laughing.

**V.O.: **Nothing could go wrong.

Shot of Troy and Chad at basketball camp. Troy throws the ball and scores.

Shot of college scouts nodding and writing notes on their pads.

**Chad: **He shoots, he scores!

Shot of Chad and Troy roughhousing, laughing and having a good time.

**V.O.: **But everything can change in an instant.

Shot of Troy falling to the ground at a game, shouting and screaming in the background.

Shot of ambulance speeding down the road.

Shot of Troy unconscious in a hospital bed.

**Doctor: **(voice over) Troy's white cell count is abnormal. We want to biopsy (voice fades into the background as the steady beep of an EKG becomes apparent)

Shot of Troy's parents holding each other, his mother crying.

**V.O.:** His world will come crashing down.

Shot of Troy looking incredulously at his parents and his doctor.

**Troy: **(to the doctor) C-cancer?

**V.O.: **Now, his future is on the line.

Shot of Troy and Gabriella. Troy is holding an envelope.

**Troy: **It's from Duke.

Shot of Troy beginning to open the envelope.

Shot of Gabriella sliding down a wall, her head in her hands.

**Gabriella: **(voice-over) He's dying, right in front of me, and there's nothing I can do.

Screen fades to black, as music fades into the background.

**"Only Hope"**


End file.
